Electrolytic cell.



E, E. NORQUIST.

ELECTROLYTIC CELL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1914.

1,158,43fi0 Parenrvd 1-1, 1915;

WITNESSES: IV I/E/V TOR ATTORNEY i 5o p air of arms 7, resting on insulation pieces and EMANUEL I]. NORQUIST, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 OXYGEN GAS COMPANY, OF KANSAS CITY,

MISSOURI.

ELECTROLYTIC CELL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 14L, 1915.

Application filed May 1, 1914. Serial No. 835,587.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMANUEL E. NORQUIST, a citizen of the- United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrolytlc Cells, of which the following is a speclfication.

This invention relates to electrolytic cells for use in effecting decomposition of water to liberate the components, oxygen and hy' drogen thereof, and my object is to produce a cell of the character outlined in which it Will be impossible for any such gases to become intermingled or pass to the same gasometer, it being well known that it is necessary to keep such gases separated on account of danger of explosion if mixed and subjected to pressure, andbecause pure oxygen is essential for restorative .and analogous purposes, and pure hydrogen is desirable for purifying soaps and for other purposes.

To this end the invention conslsts in cer tain novel and peculiar features of construction and organization as hereinafter described and claimed; and in order that it may be fully understood reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in"

which Figure 1, is a view partly in plan and partly in horizontal section of an electrolytic cell embodying my invention. Fig. 2, is a vertical transverse section of the same. Fig. 3, is a vertical section taken at right angles to the section shown by Fig. 2, of a fragment of the cell.

In the said drawing the cell is constructed as follows: 1 is a shell preferably proportioned as shown, and provided at its upper edge with an inturned flange 2, having a wall 3 depending from its inner edge, to form a chamber 4 for the reception of hydrogen gas liberated fromwater contained in the shell, and leading from said chamber 4 is a pipe 5 to conduct hydrogen gas to a gasometer, not shown. The shell forms the cathode of an electric circuit hereinafter mentioned.

I Depending into the water contained in the shell is a gas bell 7 supported by a I extending vertically through and insulated at 8 from the top of said bell is a pair of screw bolts 9 from which is suspended the anode 10, nuts 11 engaging the upper ends 7 of such parts is shown. A bag-shaped diaphragm 13 of asbestos or equivalent material is suspended from the bell and is of length to nearly reach the bottom of the shell, and in conjunction with the bell completely incases the anode so as to insure that all oxygen liberated from the water or equivalent elec-- trolyte shall pass up into the bell and be conducted thence through pipe 14: to a gasometer, not shown. This diaphragm not only retains all of the oxygen liberated ad- ]acent to the anodebut guards against the entrance into the sack of hydrogen liberated externally of the sack. As a further precaution against the possibility of mixture of the gases, a tube-shaped diaphragm 15 of asbestos or its equivalent completely incases but is spaced from the bag-shaped diaphragm, and is suspended at its upper end from the flange 3 of the shell, and in order that this tube-shaped diaphragm may collect substantially all of the hydrogen liberated and conduct it to the collecting chamber 1, the said diaphragm preferably tapers at its lower end, so as to cover almost the entire bottom of the shell and underlie the bag-shapeddiaphra'gm. By the cooperative use of the diaphragm, it is clear that oxygen may escape from the bag-shaped diaphragm and hydrogen may. escape inwardly through the tube-shaped diaphragm without any danger of the two gases being collected in the same gasometer, as anoccurrence of the kind mentioned will result in the escape of the gas upwardly from the cell externally of the diaphragm 13 and internally of the diaphragm 15. There is, of course, only a remote possibility of both diaphragms becoming defective at adjacent points whereat their respective gases may escape, but even should this occur the gases will escape from the cell because the diaphragms are spaced apart and the tendency of the gas is to pass upwards In practice the completion of the electric circuit results in the flow of the current from the anode to the cathode through water in the shell, the asbestos diaphragms 13 and '15 affording free passage for the current but not for the gases liberated by the electrolysis of the water. The oxygen passes,as hereinbefore stated, to a gasometer and the hy drogen to a different gasometer, and in the event that excess pressure is produced in compartment 4 or in the bell, and gases are forced through the diaphragms l3 and 15, such gases will escape to the atmosphere as hereinbefore suggested. It will therefore be seen that a battery of these cells can be used to produce and separately collect oxygen and hydrogen with safety.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have produced an electrolytic cell embodying the features of advantage enumerated as desirable, and which may be modified in minor particulars without departing from the principle of construction involved.

I claim: An electrolytic cell, comprising a shell or cathode to contain water and provided with an inturned flange at its upper end, terminating in a depending wall to form a chamber to receive gas liberated from the water, a gas bell in the space inclosed by said wall and spaced from the latter, supporting means secured to-the bell and resting on but insulated from the shell, an anode suspended from the bell, in the water in the cathode, a flexible bag-shaped diaphragm inclosing the anode Without contact therewith and suspended from the bell, and a flexible tubeshaped diaphragm suspended from the said wall and inclosing the said bag-shaped diaphragm without contact therewith.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

I EMANUEL E. NORQUIST.

Witnesses:

FRANK R. GLoRE, G. Y. THORPE. 

